The War, Omni; Part 1
by Eponine3
Summary: An alternate universe where the war of Xavier's nightmares and Magneto's dreams is coming. Part 1, Omni's POV


Devon poked her head around the corner of the pitch-black room. Her hair was pulled back in a strict, chic ponytail, hanging almost to her waist. In her skintight black bodysuit, she would have been invisible were it not for her almost-unnaturally pale skin and glittering, emerald eyes.  
  
In the middle of the room, a beautiful, elaborate, and expensive ruby-and- diamond necklace sat on an elegant glass pedestal. If absolute silence hadn't been essential, Devon would have snickered aloud. The ornament looked so exposed, surrounded only by a box of thin glass. A less experienced thief would have taken the bait, hook, line, and sinker, and simply broken the glass, grabbed the trinket, and run. Devon, however, knew better. Breaking the glass itself would set off an alarm, as would lifting the actual prize from its black silk pillow. Instead, Devon got down on her stomach and crept across the floor, avoiding the sensors above her.  
  
When she reached the platform, she stood carefully up. She removed a pistol from a pouch around her waist. Looking up, she spotted the two-inch glass skylight that she would escape through. She positioned her hand above the translucent box holding the necklace, then fired two shots from the pistol, shattering the glass. As alarm bells began to ring, Devon grabbed her treasure and, with her jade eyes glowing, telekinetically lifted herself through the ceiling. She secured the necklace in another pouch, keeping the pistol handy, and crouched by the broken skylight to watch the fun.  
  
Within seconds of her departure, three men rushed into the room, guns drawn. The paused, seeing no one and taking in the changed surroundings. Devon could practically see them working it out in their heads. 'Broken case, broken skylight, equals..' Simultaneously, they looked up. Devon let them see her.  
  
The guards' expressions were identical, surprise and anger at first, melting to smirks. Devon interpreted these sneers and threw herself to the side just in time. Another man flew past Devon and through the destroyed skylight, landing with a THUD below. Devon whirled around.  
  
A dozen armed men stood behind her, tensed to chase. Devon ran, leaping wildly from the tall building, using what was left of her powers to aid her bound. The guards followed closely. So engaged was she in her escape, Devon failed to notice the various well-concealed traps set up around the buildings surrounding the one she had fled.  
  
All of a sudden, a large net sprung up, enveloping her, tangling her arms and legs and making her unable to run or even move when the guards caught up to her. All she could do was growl menacingly at them. Her powers were too sapped to mentally 'throw' objects at them and trying to fight physically would only result in further entanglement.  
  
"Give us the necklace," one said, his gun drawn and aimed.  
  
"I dropped it," Devon replied, lying.  
  
Two other guards grabbed the edges of the net and wrapped them tighter, so that Devon couldn't even struggle. Another punched her in the face.  
  
"Where is it?" he demanded.  
  
"I told you already, I dropped it!"  
  
The guard questioning her motioned to the others. "Check the area. I'll get rid of this." They scattered, leaving only the guard with the gun with Devon. He struck her with the butt of his weapon and deep oblivion shrouded her.  
  
  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
She woke up in a doorway. It was still night, and some old lady was yelling at her about street bums on her front door. Devon tried to mentally shove the woman, but found herself unable to.  
  
"Where am I?" she asked. She had found that the simplest way to gain information is the most direct way.  
  
"An' why should I tell a bum like you?" the woman demanded. Devon softened her face, making herself appear more vulnerable, and the woman's expression and tone changed. "Little north a' Nawlins."  
  
"Thank you," Devon said and left, heading south. She checked her pouch to see if the guard had discovered the necklace, but it was still there, intact. She laughed to herself at his stupidity. She found a pawnshop and was standing outside, trying to figure out the price of her steal when a shadow altered and charged her. Grabbing the necklace from Devon's surprised hands, it dashed away in the direction Devon had come. She gave chase for fifteen minutes before she realized the thief had lost her. Disappointed, she headed for what she could almost call 'home'.  
  
She boarded with a man named Jason. He was about thirty-five years old, fat, and greedy. In return for a roof, she had to give him a fourth of everything she stole. He generally ignored her, unless they ran into each other in the kitchen. Then he would complain about how little money she was giving him and her 'nasty little habits', of which he could name quite a few.  
  
When she reached the house, Devon walked up the front path and rang the doorbell. A hoarse voice from within called out, and the door opened a crack.  
  
"Who's that?"  
  
"Devon."  
  
"Didja' get the steal?"  
  
"I lost it."  
  
The door slammed shut.  
  
Devon walked around to the side of the house. She climbed up onto the roof and let herself into her room by the trapdoor she had built there when she had first moved in. Landing softly, she changed into a gold tank top and tight denim jeans. She emerged to grab some food from the kitchen and go see Nick about her powers. She figured that after the guard had knocked her unconscious, he had shot her with a neutralizer. Neutralizers stole a mutant's powers. Nick, a mutant himself with enhanced hearing, smell, and sight, made a restorative. Though unpleasant in the fact that it hurt like anything to have your powers stolen or returned and that the restorative was administered in the form of a hypodermic needle, it was incredibly handy to be friends with the man who made them.  
  
Jason happened to be in the kitchen when Devon entered.  
  
"You owe me," he said by way of greeting. He was eating an enormous slice of pizza, the toppings and greasy cheese drooping off the side.  
  
"You shouldn't eat that. It only adds more poundage to your already gargantuan figure." She took out a salad package and shook it, preparing to pour it into a bowl nearby.  
  
"Whadda'ya' mean by that? I ain't fooled by your fancy words! You just called me a pig, didn't'cha?" he bellowed.  
  
Thinking it wiser not to turn her back on Jason at this particular moment, Devon abandoned her salad. "I would never think of insulting such a formidable dignitary as you."  
  
Jason roared again and jumped up, sending his chair flying. He picked it up and flung it at Devon. She ducked and, as nonchalantly as possible, left the house.  
  
She headed for Nick's house, which was just a few blocks away. She jogged the short distance, enjoying the feeling of release she always got when exercising.  
  
She reached the house, slowing to a walk in front of it and knocking on the door.  
  
The door opened and Nick stood in the doorway, still half asleep, since it was just now 8:30 in the morning. Even in his pajamas, the seventeen year old was attractive. His long auburn hair was combed hurriedly to each side. His chest was bare and he stood in the open doorway in only his boxers and white socks.  
  
"Oh, hi," he said. Then he realized he was wearing the minimum amount of clothing and added, "Can you give me a second?" He ran for his room, emerging a few minutes later in more public attire. He blushed and said, "How've you been, Devon?"  
  
"Not too good."  
  
"I take it you've lost your powers a.."  
  
"Don't say it."  
  
".gain."  
  
Devon glared at him, but found she couldn't hold it. It's hard to glare when the person being glared at has just made a mad dash for his bedroom in Tweety-bird boxers. She laughed and he laughed with her.  
  
"Hold on. I'll go get the restorative," Nick said and went into another room, appearing again holding a hypodermic needle. He started to grab Devon's arm to plunge the needle into it, but, instinctively, she grabbed his and twisted it, forcing the needle out of his hand. She realized what she was doing, dropped Nick's arm, and caught the needle before it shattered.  
  
"Sorry," said Devon, still holding onto the restorative.  
  
"It's alright. You want to do it?"  
  
"Yes." She took a deep breath and plunged the needle into her arm. She screamed for a minute as she felt her powers being returned to her. It felt like liquid fire being forced into her veins. When it was over, she took the needle out and tossed it in a nearby trashcan.  
  
"Better?" Nick asked.  
  
"Infinitely." She sighed.  
  
"What's wrong?"  
  
"I'm just so tired. I ticked off Jason today, so he threw a chair at me. Now I can't sleep there until he forgets about it."  
  
"He did WHAT?"  
  
"Hmm? Oh, threw a chair at me. You know him, he has absolutely no aim. Whatsoever. Anyway, I haven't slept in two days and I'm exhausted."  
  
"Why don't you just move in with me? I won't charge you and I won't throw things at you like that, that."  
  
"I know," Devon said, just to keep Nick from swearing. He only swore when he was in a homicidal mood and, much as she detested Jason, she didn't want Nick to kill him. It would cause an enormous fuss with the mutant-haters. "I think. If you really don't mind, I'll take you up on that offer. You get a fourth of everything I steal, that was the deal with Jason. That fair?"  
  
"Maybe you didn't hear me. 'I won't charge you.'"  
  
"Oh." Devon was unused to this kind of behavior. "In that case, I call it home."  
  
Nick smiled a puppy-dog, empty-eyed smile. If Devon didn't know better, she could have sworn he cared for her, at least more than anyone else recently had.  
  
"I'll have to go back sometime to get my clothes and things."  
  
"Ok. You can hang out here today. We can hold a video game fest."  
  
"Sounds great," Devon said as they headed into the living room, ready to willingly become slack-eyed idiots for the sake of a little being that ran around on a screen and killed things with a sword.  
  
  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
  
  
Devon and Nick had breaked for pantry raids, but had basically sat in front of a television all day, so when they finally noticed that it was dark out, they welcomed the chance to stretch.  
  
"I beat you," Devon said vaguely.  
  
"No way. I dominated over all. I am the unprecedented king of video games," Nick replied.  
  
Devon 'hmphed' sarcastically. "Want to go for a walk?"  
  
"Sure! Let me grab a coat." Nick ran to a closet and came out with a leather jacket, and a light blue denim for Devon.  
  
"I won't really need that," she protested, but let him slip it on.  
  
They left the house and walked together in a comfortable silence. The reached the city and entered it, strolling through the tall buildings. Nick put his arm around Devon's waist and she leaned against him ever so slightly. Suddenly, he tensed.  
  
"Run," he murmured urgently. No, Devon thought, It's happening again. When she didn't move or reply, he pushed her a little, "RUN!"  
  
Devon stumbled a little, but obeyed Nick, expecting him to stay with her. When he instead turned, pulled out a knife, and faced a wall that was suddenly writhing and shifting with living shadows, she turned too, ready to fight. The wraiths moved out from the wall, at least ten and all holding guns or knives or metal pipes. In her darker clothing, Devon blended more and the gang didn't see her at first. They used up their bullets on Nick. They noticed her when she cried out and mentally shoved four against the far wall. They focused on her and she screamed again and ran. She tripped and fell, dashing her head against the ground and giving in to darkness.  
  
When she woke up, it was daylight. She was unhurt. The gang had passed by her the night before, not seeing her. She went back to where Nick was lying and bent over him. He wasn't breathing.  
  
"Please." she whispered. "Please Nick." A single tear ran down her cheek and splashed onto the dead youth's chest. Then Devon stood up. Her face was absolutely devoid of any emotion and, looking at her, you couldn't tell anything about her. But her eyes were full of wrath. Then her body began to glow a faint red. Her eyes blazed with the same light. She realized she could smell the gang from the night before. She followed the smell all the way to an old house, two-story, with an unkempt lawn. Devon tried the front door. It was locked. Stoically, methodically, she walked around to a window, drew her fist back, and shattered it. She climbed through, ignoring the deep gashes the glass had left on her forearm. Sounds of surprise and anger resounded through the residence. She found the kitchen and located the knife drawer. Devon telekinetically opened it and drew out a long knife. A member of the gang appeared in the doorway, a stunned look on his face. Devon's glowing eyes flashed green. 


End file.
